Guilty Gear -Strive-, the beloved 2.5D fighting game from Arc System Works America, which was released in 2021, is coming to Nintendo Switch. Announced today, Guilty Gear -Strive- Nintendo Switch Edition will arrive on January 23, 2025. Pre-orders are now available for the physical edition of the game.
The seventh mainline installment in the Guilty Gear series, Guilty Gear -Strive- serves as a "complete reconstruction of the franchise." While it retains the core essence of the series, many of the features and mechanics were revamped. It also introduced the "Wall Break" feature, allowing for stage transitions mid-fight when a combo was performed in the corner of the arena.
The Nintendo Switch Edition will arrive four years after the game's initial release for PC, PS4, and PS4 (it eventually came to Xbox in March 2023). As such, it will feature all 28 characters from the game's Seasons 1-3. Players will also have access to online multiplayer modes, single-player modes like Arcade and Story modes, Tutorial and Training modes for newcomers, and more.
Here are the full feature details for the Guilty Gear -Strive- Nintendo Switch Edition:
- 28 PLAYABLE CHARACTERS – A diverse roster of 28 characters and the largest roster in GUILTY GEAR history, from Sol Badguy to the recently added Slayer in Season 3.
- STORY MODE – Experience the over 6-hour GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- main story following the conclusion of Sol Badguy’s journey!
- “ANOTHER STORY” – Enjoy a full-length movie that follows what has been occuring in the background of the game’s main story.
- ONLINE BATTLES – With Rollback Netcode* functionality installed, players can enjoy lagless online battles with other Nintendo Switch players remotely.
Additional Game Modes & Features
- Tutorial Mode – Learn the basics of gameplay before you battle it out in Story Mode and other exciting modes.
- Mission Mode – Perform practical techniques in a variety of mission-style challenges.
- Survival Mode – Battle it out against consecutive CPU opponents with a limited health bar.
- Training Mode – Freely practice with the ability to recreate a myriad of battle situations.
- Versus Mode – Battle against CPU or human opponents offline with preferred battle settings.
- Online Match – Fight against players from around the world with Ranked Tower, Open Park, and Player Match settings.
- Combo Maker – Create your own original combo/sequence recipe and upload it, or challenge those uploaded by other players.
- Digital Figure Mode** – Create original dioramas, placing character models freely on a preferred background while viewing those created and uploaded by others.
- GG World Mode – View a glossary, character relation charts, and timelines related to the GUILTY GEAR series.
- Gallery Mode – Collect and enjoy a variety of character artwork, movies, and soundtracks.
Guilty Gear -Strive- received favorable reviews upon release and won Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2021 as well as Fighting Game of the Year at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.
Its critical success was matched by commercial success. In August 2022, its sales surpassed one million copies, making it the best-selling title in the franchise. As of July 2024, it had sold more than three million copies.
Guilty Gear -Strive- Nintendo Switch Edition is set to arrive on January 23, 2025. It will be available for $59.99.
In addition to the upcoming Nintendo Switch release, it was recently announced that Arc System Works America, Inc. and Sanzigen Studios are developing a new anime series adaptation of the video game series. Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Riders is set to premiere in 2025 and will feature original voice cast members from the Guilty Gear - Strive- video game.